Exit133 is about Tacoma

Tacoma 2013 Year In Review

There's a new "microsite" online with a 2013 Year in Review for the City of Tacoma. At annualreport.cityoftacoma.org visitors can peruse some of the accomplishments of the City from 2013. A letter from the City Manager introduces the site:

The City of Tacoma is emerging from a difficult period in our nation’s economy to focus on growth. There exists a renewed focus on Tacoma’s economic health and viability, protecting the environment, improving our infrastructure, leveraging technology, enhancing our community, preserving public safety and maintaining a solid and fiscally sound municipal government.

What is fueling this transformative time period at the City of Tacoma is a shared drive to innovate that exists between our Mayor, Council Members, staff, and members of Tacoma’s residential and business community.

Our 2013 Year in Review microsite highlights many of the City’s accomplishments over the past year and builds on our future endeavors.

Over the course of the summer of 2014, the City of Tacoma will embark on a citywide strategic visioning process which will provide an action plan for the next five years and set the course for Tacoma over the next decade. This plan would also help the City direct its resources toward a defined vision for a future that is reflective of community priorities, considers current and future trends, and bolsters the city’s unique position within the region.

I look forward to hearing your ideas and suggestions on how the City can better serve you and how we can all work together to continue to make Tacoma a great place to live.

The site is divided into categories of Growing the Economy, Protecting the Environment, Improving Infrastructure, Leveraging Technology, Enhancing Community, Preserving Public Safety, and A Fiscally Sound Government. Each of those categories is further broken down into subcategories, under which are listed a handful of accomplishments for the year.

At this point we'd expect to see some stats, charts, a punchlist of hits and misses. Or something similar to the Tacoma 24/7 report from the Office of Budget and Management. Instead, the "Year in Review" might better be titled "Tacoma: Greatest Hits 2013." But there are some pretty pictures and it's nice to see a year's worth of accomplishments laid out. Do you find the site useful?

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Comments

Joseph Weiss

My wife and I are Pierce County, Thurston County and King County business owners who frequently do business with Far East investors and we do not just like - we love - the new microsite! It is easy to understand and presents the information in a really clear way. That’s what I need for all levels of government to do. Speak to citizens in plain English and not bureaucratic speak. What a great marketing tool for Tacoma! I wish the cities of Seattle and Olympia did something like this. What I’d like to know is if they contracted out or if it was done with existing government dollars!

I love Tacoma. My wife and I decided to stay here after separating from the Army because of its beauty and diversity. I would love to see this ‘City of Destiny’ prosper and develop with pride and confidence in the future. The city needs to keep its hard-working image and get rid of its past reputations. The work that is being done downtown is wonderful and its looking fantastic!

I think other ideas would be to make much better welcoming signs into the city from highways and freeways. So, instead of just a small green sign, ‘Entering Tacoma’, it can be elaborate signs with the city logo or graphics that say, “Welcome to Tacoma, The City of Destiny”. Add new signs that shine on our attractions such as the museum district and our light rail service. I5 doesn’t run through the city and never gives visitors or drivers a good look on our downtown except for one spot, if they turn their heads. Since we don’t have this intercity freeway, we need to make our downtown and the rest of Tacoma as appealing as possible. Also, lets keep letting new businesses come in and develop tall buildings. Tacoma isn’t just about industry and military, we are about health, beauty, and business as well!